Telescopic sight systems (also interchangeably referred to herein as scope sighting systems or scopes) typically are formed of aluminum, magnesium, or metal alloys that may be machined or cast into a cylindrically shaped scope body; the cylindrical body housing various optical and mechanical components. A telescopic sight is generally mounted to a firearm, or some other mounting point through use of a scope mount. Typical scope mounts include a scope base that may be mounted to a firearm or other object and a plurality of scope rings, which mount to the scope base. The scope rings may have a circular opening corresponding to the outer circumference of the scope body for clamping to the cylindrical scope body.
Scopes generally offer fixed or variable magnification and may include adjustments for windage and elevation. Many scope sighting systems further include a reticle for assisting a user with optical measurement and/or aiming. A reticle commonly consists of a plurality of fine lines, which may be stationary, movable mechanically, or movably projected onto a display field, such as a diffraction grid. Attached U.S. Patent Application Publication 2012/0113507 A1 discloses one example of a reticle formed by light projected onto a diffraction grid, which is incorporated by reference herein. Alternatively, reticles may be electronically produced on a screen projecting a virtual image; the virtual image being may be formed digitally based on a processed signal received from an imaging sensor.
Reticles are most typically located in a focal plane, at a point between the objective lens or lenses and the ocular lens or lenses. An erector lens assembly may further be located between the objective lens or ocular lens, and the reticle may be located between the objective lens and the erector and/or between the erector and ocular lens, depending on if a magnification of the reticle is desired. Reticles may be formed of a wire, etched in a glass or transparent substrate, or may be projected onto or emitted from a display or display field within the scope. Reticles may be viewed in relation to a real image, which may be magnified or enhanced though optics and placement of the reticle in relation to the optics, or may be viewed in relation to a virtual image formed by a processor using light data received by an image sensor. A virtual image may be displayed using a backlit liquid crystal display (LCD) or transmission-type organic light-emitting diode (OLED) display. While the technology of scope sighting systems has improved over the years, a number of shortcomings are still present in the current mounting systems and reticle configurations.
Common problems associated with typical mounting systems include: limitations on scope size and form factor due to a necessity for compatibility with standard ring sizes, corrosion between the scope rings and the scope body or between other mating surfaces in the mount assembly, misalignment of the mounts due to the thermal expansion qualities of different materials, user error in assembling the mounting system, and an increase in complexity and weight of the assembly.
Common reticle systems include many shortcomings, the most common being: failure of the mechanical components required for movement of the reticle, misalignment due to shock or thermal expansion, and an increase in complexity and weight due to mechanical components housed inside the scope body. Further, in projected reticle systems, similar disadvantages exist; along with a further increase in complexity and potential for failure. In reticles that are electronically produced on a screen displaying a virtual image, several of the above disadvantages exist, with the addition of the risk that the failure of the electronic components may result in a black-out and inability to use the scope optics.